


Fortune

by SharkGirl



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Lance (Voltron)-centric, No longer canon-compliant, Quick Read, Tarot, Wheel of Fortune, Zine piece
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-31
Updated: 2019-03-31
Packaged: 2019-12-27 03:03:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18295538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SharkGirl/pseuds/SharkGirl
Summary: Lance didn’t consider himself an overly superstitious person. But there were certain rules he followed religiously because his mami didn’t raise no fool.Written for Greater Secrets, the Voltron Tarot Zine.





	Fortune

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone!! Here is my main piece for [Greater Secrets](http://greatersecretsvldzine.tumblr.com/), the Voltron Tarot Zine. It was such a pleasure to work with so many talented writers and artists, as well as a fantastic and well-organized staff!
> 
> Beta'd by Jes (and everyone who pre-ordered/purchased the PDF)  
> Please enjoy!!

Lance didn’t consider himself an overly superstitious person. But there were certain rules he followed religiously because his mami didn’t raise no fool.

For example, he always made sure never to take home seashells from the beach. Even after he and Marco had found that huge conch with almost no chips in it. And he’d worn his _azabache_ to ward off The Evil Eye until the bracelet practically disintegrated off of his wrist. Even most recently, on the Castle of Lions, he’d made sure to cross his Lion Slippers at night to keep the nightmares at bay. Though, when one was defending the universe and had seen all he had, that didn’t always do the trick.

But other than that, he didn’t go too crazy. Not like his mami and sister, who tossed salt over their shoulder like it was going out of style and who never let their purses touch the ground and who knocked on wood regardless of how serious – or trivial – the situation.

One thing he did truly believe in was fate. Everyone was destined for something. And thinking that made him get up and try again no matter how many times he failed. And, in addition, he liked to get a sneak preview of what fate had in store for him every once in a while.

And that was what had Lance stopping in his tracks in the middle of the Grand Bazaar on a small dusty planet called Moylia.

The team had decided to take a little break, their seemingly endless journey home seeming…well…endless. And while some had chosen to use their time to rest, Lance, Hunk, Pidge, and Allura had taken the opportunity to check out the local market.

They’d lost track of Allura and Pidge some time ago, the two splitting in opposite directions for completely different yet equally shiny and sparkly reasons.

So, that left Lance and Hunk to wander, the latter ogling the local produce and exotic spices, while Lance was content to just poke around and window shop. However, when he spotted the little stand nestled between some silky-looking fabrics and a shop that boasted the best micro-particle diffusers this side of the Nardahul system, he just had to stop.

“Whoa!” Hunk wobbled, nearly crashing into him and dropping his armful of ingredients. “You have to warn a person, man.”

“Sorry,” Lance said absently, barely looking over his shoulder as he turned toward the little stand. “I wanna check this out.”

In his periphery, he saw Hunk give a half shrug before following after him. This was the first time during their little pit stop that Lance had actually wanted to take a closer look, so he didn’t think the other would be opposed to indulging him.

“Welcome,” the alien sitting behind the small table greeted as they approached. She was like most of the other inhabitants of the planet: tall, slender, and lizard-like in appearance, with piercing jewel-toned eyes and a long neck adorned with metallic bangles. “Have you come to get your fortunes told?”

Excitement bubbled up in Lance’s belly at the prospect, but Hunk didn’t appear to share in his enthusiasm.

“Wait. What? Fortunes?” Hunk blinked from beside Lance, quirking a thick brow as he looked over at him. “You like that stuff?”

Lance and Hunk had talked a lot about their lives during their time at the Garrison. And more so since they’d become Space Brothers. But the late nights in his sister’s room, poring over the cards as Rachel turned them face-up, well…he’d sort of left that part out. Hunk didn’t seem like the type to buy into it, after all.

“I dabble,” Lance replied coolly before facing the fortune teller again. “Two, please,” he said as he took a seat on one of the chairs in front of the stand.

“One,” Hunk corrected, setting his pile down and taking the other. “We’ve got limited GAC and I’m saving mine for that weird fruit we saw on the way in.”

“The one that tried to eat you?” Lance questioned with a snort, but Hunk just coughed into his fist and looked the other way.

“Very well,” the fortune teller said, steepling her long, scaled fingers. “I shall read you, then, Lance, Paladin of the Red Lion.”

“Whoa!” Hunk’s eyes grew large. “Okay. I wasn’t buying this at first, but that was pretty amazing.”

“Hunk,” Lance said flatly, barely containing his laugh. “We’re wearing our armor.”

“Oh.”

“I must say, I loved the Voltron Show,” the teller continued. “I’m a big fan.”

Hunk flushed bright red and Lance had to bite back a snicker. He cleared his throat and faced her again. “I’m ready.”

She smiled, her thin lips parting to reveal an innumerable amount of sharp teeth. “What type of reading would you like?” she asked, holding up a deck of cards. Lance was reminded of those late nights in his sister’s room once again. Of course, these cards were much larger, better suited for the elongated fingers of the Moylian people.

Hunk fidgeted beside him and Lance knew he should make it quick, so he opted for his favorite.

“Three card spread, please,” he said, fishing into his pocket for some coins. “Path and Goal.”

“Ah, a man who knows what he wants,” she mused, accepting the money with her free hand. She weighed it carefully before drawing it beneath the table. There was a clinking of coins being dropping into a bin and then she was back. “I won’t be needing all of these then,” she said, quickly setting aside the majority of her deck and leaving what Lance knew to be the major cards behind. “Now.” Her reptilian eyes bore into his as she shuffled the remaining cards. “Split the deck.”

She set them down and Lance did as he was told, setting the top half down next to the bottom on the table. Again, Hunk was squirming beside him, either slightly uncomfortable or itching to get some of that man-eating melon before the shop sold out.

The teller grinned and took the bottom half, placing it atop the other. Then she began to draw, setting three cards facedown, one at a time. Lance was excited. It had been so long since he’d last had a reading. He rubbed his hands on the tops of his thighs, knowing his palms were sweating beneath his gloves.

Once the final card was placed in the middle, she moved the rest of the deck to the side and placed her spindly finger to the back of the first. “This card symbolizes where you stand now.” She turned it over, revealing a lone, cloaked, and reptilian figure holding a lantern. “The Hermit.”

“Hey,” Hunk spoke up with a frown. “Lance is, like, the most social guy I know.”

But the reader laughed, dry and raspy, before Lance could correct him. “This card does not necessarily mean that he seeks solitude,” she explained. “I see that Lance wishes to know more, to go on a personal quest of self-discovery. Perhaps he desires to move in a new direction.”

Lance raised his brows. He was pretty sure they were all going in same direction. Home. But there was a part of him, one that had awakened the moment his bayard had taken the form of an Altean broadsword, that longed to know more. To find the answers within.

“Now, we shall reveal your goal,” she said, skipping the middle card and picking up the one on the other side. She turned it over, revealing a bright white circle in an almost starless sky. “The Moon,” she spoke, her lips curving. “You fear that your anxieties will overwhelm you, releasing your inner demons and taking with them your courage.”

Swallowing, Lance nodded, his eyes never leaving the card. Wasn’t that the truth? Hadn’t he always feared that he wasn’t needed? That he was a seventh wheel? Or tenth? How many did they have in their party now?

He fought hard to keep that nameless apprehension at bay, longing to prove himself a worthy member of the team. And he had, he thought. He hoped. After all, Allura had said he had greatness within, hadn’t she? And, despite what had happened with Lotor, she was usually an excellent judge of character.

“But,” she continued, “You will not accept any falsehoods. Nor shall you deceive yourself.” He looked up to find her smiling again, her secondary eyelids blinking across her large eyes. “Now,” she paused, her hand falling on the final card. “Your path.”

Lance took a deep breath as the reader flipped the card face-up. This one he recognized immediately. It was the one that kept him going. The one that his sister had drawn for him many times.

The Wheel of Fortune.

“You know this one,” she said. It wasn’t a question. Lance nodded, aware that Hunk was looking at him with interest. “Then I don’t need to tell you what it means.” She grinned again, flashing needle teeth. “Has your reading been satisfactory?” she asked.

“Yes.” Lance stood up, his chest filling with a mixture of relief and determination. “Thank you very much.” And, after reaching into his pocket, he pulled out another small coin and handed it to her.

“I appreciate your patronage, Lance.” She bowed her head. “I trust I’ll be seeing much more of you in the future.” She chuckled. “I did so love the Voltron Show.”

Again, Lance bobbed his head, biting back a laugh as he stood up. “I hope so.”

After that, Lance started to walk back toward the produce stand, Hunk hurrying to balance his load and follow behind. When he finally caught up, Hunk gave him a sideways glance. “So,” Hunk began, “What did that last one mean?”

Lance turned to face him. “Oh, the Wheel of Fortune?” he clarified and Hunk nodded. “It can mean a lot of things,” he said and then snickered when Hunk shot him an unamused look. “But, in this case,” he went on, “It’s reminding me that what goes up must come down and that, if I feel like I’ve hit rock bottom, there’s only one way to go…”

“Underground?” Hunk quirked a thick eyebrow.

“No.” Lance snorted. “Up.”

“Oh, yeah. That makes more sense.” He nodded, readjusting his load as they came up on the stand selling the carnivorous fruit.

“But more than that,” Lance continued, chuckling as Hunk lifted one of the melons, weighing it in his hands and avoiding getting his fingers bitten, “It shows me how everything connects. How, even if I’m a cog in a big machine, I’m important. Ya know?”

“Hm? Oh, yeah. Definitely,” Hunk replied, moving his thumb just before the melon could snap. “So, it was all good then?” he asked.

Lance smiled, looking up at the twin suns shining in the sky, the dry desert wind blowing through his hair. “Yeah. I’d say so.”

**Author's Note:**

> Ah, yes, this definitely can't slide into canon anymore, but I'm still very happy with it!
> 
> As always, please let me know what you think and feel free to hit me up on my Voltron sideblog [@bleucheesy](http://bleucheesy.tumblr.com) or [@bySharkGirl](http://twitter.com/bysharkgirl)!


End file.
